Weeding-machine.



s.` E. Hows,

WE'EDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEDNIAVR. 3| |911.

Patented Feb. 13, y1917` 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.E -i n G.E. HGWE.

WEEDING MACH INE.

APPLICATION msn MAR. 3, 191sI Patented Feb. 13,1917;

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET i'.v

G. E. HOWE.

I wikgom MACHINE.

Patented 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET TES GEORGE EDWARD HOWE, F SALT LAKE CIT Y, UTAH.`

' WEEDING-MAGHINE.

Specication of Letters'Pate'nt. i

r tent-ed Feb. 13, 1917.

" .application inea nai-ch' 3, 191e.l serial No. 81,3 1.

To all wliom may concern.' l

Be 1t known that I, Gnoncn EDWARD Howe,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Weeding- Machines; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip,-

tion ofthe invention, such as will enable iothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make 4and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in weeding,r machines in which one'or more rotary disks are employed to sever the roots andstalks of the Weeds at or beneath the surface of the soil, and one object of the present invention being to provide an improved Wheeled frame upon which lthe disks are mounted .and in equipping the frame with mechanism for ralsing and lowerng the disks into and out of contact With and bearings.

Fig. 5. Vis an enlarged view ofthe hanger and disk'belarings shown in section.

"Fig: 6 is a'sectional view of the shaft-4 the soil. and Weeds, and for adjusting the depth at which it is desired to operate the disks. p z

. With this and other objects in view' the invention consistsu in the novel details of construction and combinations of partsimore fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out. in the claims.

In the accompanying dra-Wings forming,r

a part of this Aapplication, and' in which .slmlar reference symbols indicate corre s pondi-ng parts in. the severalviews: p Figure l 1s a top plan View of an .1m-V

. proved weeding machine constructedin accordance with my invention.

Fig. '2 is a side elevational. view of the same.

Fig.,3 is an enlarged detail View of one of the disks and disk mounting.

Fig. 4 is Ia disassembled view of the disk actuating mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the rear Wheel agde universalv adjustable construction.' "Referring more particularly to the drawings', the main frame of the machine is preferably of substantially 'triangular con struction, ineludi 1g a diagonallydisposed side or hypotenuse member, which, in the gnactloa] construction built up and now 1n use, is `composed of a pair of channel beams i and 2 secured together by bolts, or other suitable means, 3. passing'throgh spacing blocks 4 located letween'the channel beams .i and 2 and formed at their opposite ends ,into upper bearings and lower bearings 6; such bearings being offset in opposite directions, as more palticularly disclosed in Fig. 2i, and formed res oectively with shoulders 7 and S against which the adjacent flanges of tl 1e channel beam; 1 and 2 are adapted to a ymt.-

As plainly. seen in Fig. `1, the' channel beam 1 is, at its forward end, secured, as 'at 9, between a puir ofV Hat bars 10 and 11, forming the frort and short Side ofV the trame; the forwai d end of the beam 2 being bent, as indicatec at 12, and also secured or in any other sliitable manner, as may be seen designated or Fig. 1.

The plates 10 ald 11 at thefront of the machine, are prov Lded- With pins '19 and 2O to enga-,fre U-shapcd or other couplings-21 being pivoted in :t clevis 25;to lwhich the draft animals or traction vehicle 1s connected.

At its forward e ad the frame is supported cel .17 and plates ,118 secured thereto by rivets,

' and 22 to which th e rear ends o# rods 23 and 2l are secured,'the forWarde-ndsof the rods bv a xground Wheel 26 mounted on Aan inolined axle 27= wh ich is made inone ieee.

with, or connected to, a post 28 journale'd in one end of the bare 10 andll., and provided' vit a crank'29 et its upper end for conf nection to a link E0 including a telescoping section 31 fitted. withinr the lmk 30 sind sld-- justably held there lnby a Set Screw 32. The

link section 31 is secured tol one .endof a bell crank lever 315 on the upp'eendof a rotatable 'post 34 connectedto the axle of 'a second supporting wheel .35, disposed on thcopposite side of the machine lto the Wheel 26 and preferably slightly in rear of the transverse center of the machine.

The opposite arm of the bell crank lever 33 is coupled to a link 36 operable to ,shifty said bell crank lever through a lever 37 pivoted at 38 on a geur segment 39 secured to the frame, and provided with a springpressed or other latch 40 for enga ng the geur vsegment 39 and bindlng'the ever 37 in position after actuation by the operator occupying a seat 41 supported by a spring l42 from the frainewor The seat ll'and segment 39 are' supported onthe rear ends of the channel beamsl and 2, which are bent from the rear end of the triangular frame, as indicated at 43 and 44 in Fig. 1, they being offset, as there indicated, to embrace cut out portions in opposite sides of a bearing 4:5 flanged at its upper end 46 and secui'ed by bolts, or other means,

7, to the upper' flanges of the channel members 43 and 44, and to the lower flange 48y of a sleeve 49 having a set screw A50. The set screw 50 is adapted to secure a post 51 in any vertically adjusted position, said post 51 carrying a swivel bearing 52 also provided with a set screw :lor securing therein 'a journal 54 of an offset and inclined axle 55 on which the rear wheel 56 of the machine is mounted to run loose. Through the swivel 'bearing 52 the rear wheel 56 will have universal adjustment, and may be adjusted by the operator through theset screw 50 and set' screw 5 3 to any elevation or position required. f i

Mounted in the lower bearings 6 on the spmling blocksv 4 vis a spindle 57 of round or, other cross sectional configuration.; saidl H spindlebeing provided to receive hangers 58 from which the disks 59 are supl'iortcd.

y trally the Adie l bind the pa' Referringmore particularly to Figs. 3, 4

and`5, at the 'lonen end of each of the hang'-` ers 58 is formed :i ,bearing G0 having a tapering opening into which is fitted a' sleeve'l, it being secured against rotation therein by a set screw 62. To the disk 59 .is connected by rivets or other means 63, the enlarged base 64 of a hollow spindle 65 formed with- In 'e in a turn buckle 79;

fsquare hole and fitted to a and fixed by a set screw'orfwkey 82 to lotatel other shaped shaft.83

upper bearings il 'of :the v -the machine the inclination neath the overhangin ange of the hollow-.spindle 65, .is a uct 73 communicatingA w1 h. a grease cup 74 through a pair o threaded sleeves 75 and '76 whlch are inserted after the bearing sleeve 61 has been as:o sembled within the bearing 60. The' hear,-

ing, bearing sleeve, hollow spin dle,' am iA bolt,

are prefere ly of.. chilled steel; onI the working surfaces thereof' to better sustain the friction cnd wear which devolv'e upon-these parts.

Each hanger 5S is formed` withan up.

standing e e 77 for engagement by one end of a, threa ed rod 78 secured for adjustment saidturn buckle carrying a similar threaded rod ooupled at its upperend in a'crank arm 81 Square `shaft 83 with said square or journaled in the spacing blocks 4.

At its rear end theV shaft 83 is rovided with a bevell gearA wheel 84 inmes with e formed with a' similar bevel gear .wheel 8 5, illustrated more particularly in Figr 6to be rfitted o n' thefend,

of a stub shaft 86 raelg87 fixed at 88 pressed latch 90 for engaging the teeth rack 87 and securing t egearw'he'elsiand shaft 83 in the adjusted position.

In operating the machine the Samevdrawn along by draft animals o r a ytraction vehicle hitched to the clevis 2 5, and as thelsame proceeds over the field the series' of disks 59, having been lowered into contact with the ground through the lever 89and being supported at an inclination, willl roll over the roots and stalks of the weeds sub- 19,0' journaled iny a segmental to the' frame .o f the maf;

chine. In operative relation topjrotatevthe;

shaft 86, is a lever 89 provided with a' if of-'tfejv's stantially in the manner' of a' rotating'knife.

or saw, and will cut the same and eii'cctusillv dislodge the roots. .During the progressv of at which the frontend rear wheels 2G andiii. are ax-'ranged will prevent the machine from skiddmg sidewse,and the rear wheel 5G will have a.uni-

As may become vnecessary in turning at euch lleadland, vor when transporting v the machine to the versal movement on its axle place Aof operation, it 'may be desirable-to raise the disks out of engagement with the ground, and this may be accomplished by swinging the lever 89 toward theoperator .occupying the seat 41, which will, through the gear wheels 853ml 84, transmit a rotary.

thereby rocking 'the motion to the shaft 83,

cranks 81 upto the posit-ion shown inv Figs. y

] and 2,'l such movement being'tra-nsmittcd through the' links constituted by the turn buckle 79 and'rods 78 and 80 tothe hangers 58, swinging the latter about the spindle 57 and raising thedisks 59. The partswill beand lowered;

held in the'elevated position by the vlatch-90 'engaging the segment 87 until their Subscquent use is desired, when by disengaging the latch 9G from the gearsegment 5T and by a reverse movement of the same, the gear Wheel 85 will be rotated in the opposite. direction, similarly reversely rotating the gear wheel-84, and the connected shaft 83 lowering the cranks 81 and again bringing the disks y59 into contact with the ground.

A limited adjustment is given by means of the turn buckle 79* regulating the height and depth to which the disks may'be elevated and otherwise, the adjustment is-cfl'ccted by operation of the lever Si).

(ln turning,'the operator graspstbe lever 37, releasing the latch 40 from engagement' with the segmental rack 39, when said lever is free to be moved andshift the link 3G,

swinging the bell crank lever 33 and turning the post 34 to which isv connected the axle of the wheel 35; this turning movement is communicated to the forward wheel 2li .through the telescoping link 30 and crank 29, which simultaneously revolves the post 28 and connectedaxle 27. Y

If it becomes necessaryl to operate the machine in a circle, the steering wheels 26 and 35 may be held in any position to guide the machine in any 4 0 engaging the segment 39 after the lever' 37* has been'i moved to the rev uired position. It is obvious that those "skilled in the` art may Vary thedctails` of construction und arrangements ofparts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and there fore I do not'wish to be limited to such features gteept as maybe required by the claims'.

l. In a weeding machine, the combination of'a frame including beams, spacingblocks interposed between said beams, shoulders on said ,spacingblocks above and 'below said beams for engaging therewith, upper and lower bearings on said yspacing blorks, a spindle journaled through Isaid lower bear- 4ings, hangers pivotally mounted on said spindle, slitting elements carried by said hangers, a rock shaft journaled in the upper bearings, cranks on said rock shaft, links connected between said cranks und han ers and means for operating said rock sha t to raise, lower and adjust the heightof said cutting elements, substantially as describe-(L 2'. In a wecding'machine, the combination of a frame'including'oppositely disposed beams,I spacing blocks interposed between said beams, Vupper and lower bearings on said 'spacing blocks, a.I spindle journaled through said lower bearrngsfhangers4 hingedly mounted on said spindle, cutting elements carried by said hangers, n., rock shaft jounaled in said uppl'er hangers, `means for 'connected resp( ctively" to ,pling said rods direction through the lever -below said beam: fon said spacing 'on said roc-k Vbevel pinion,

' and blocks` shoulders on actuating said rock shaft, cranks on said rock sha-ft, and adjustable links 'connected between said cranks and hangers for adjusting, raising 'azul lowering said cutting elcments, s'aid links including threaded rods colnnect'edires nectively to the cranks and hangers, and t irnbuckles coupling said rods, substantially :s described.

3. In a weeding machine, the combination of a. frame including beams, spacing blocksl interposed between said beams,shoulders on said spacing llocks above and below said beams for en gaging therewith, fastening means passing ,lnoughsairl-beams and spaeing blocks, upper and lower bearings on said spacing blocks, a spindle journaled through said. lower bearings, lmngcrs pivotally mounted on said spindle, cutting elements carried by said han ers, a rock shaft. journaled in'said u nper iearing, cranks on said rock Shaft, aIiQustable links connectcdbetween said crai ks and hangers for raising, lowering and. xdjusting said cutting elements, said linls comprising'threaded rods said cranks and hangers, and tu] `nbucklcs for adjustal'ily couand means fortactuating said rock shaft and securing same" in adjusted' position, sulstantially as described.

4. 'In a weeding machine, the combination \vard,'a series cf spaced blocks interposed between said cha .incl beams. fastening means passing through said beams and blocks, upper and lower o1 lpositely on said spacing blocks c'ngagmgnbeve and upper and lower bearings olo'cks, a spindle journaled throll h said lower bearings,` han ers pivotally epending "rom .said spind e. cutting elements support ed from said ha ngcrs, a rock shaft journaled in said upper bearings,cranks shait, links connected between said cranks and lange-rs, a bevel pinion on said rock shaft, a stub shaft disposed angrilarly, to said rock shaft', a bevel pinion on said stub shaft meshing with saidl firsbnamed a lever connected to oscillate said. stub shaft, `means associated with said lever for securing same in adjusted position, substantially as described.

5. In a weedingmarhine, the combination of a triangular frame including a base member disposed diagonally to the line of-tra vel and composed spacing blocks inte rposejd between said beams, fastening means pissing through said beams ting against the u )per saidbeams, upper und lower bearings on said blocks, a'. spindle journal-lcd in said lower bearings, hangers givntelly depending from disposed shoulders 1 of a pair of channel beams,

said blocks for abutand lower flanges ofioo Y said spindle, cutters Carried by said. hangers,

a rock shaft journaied in sind upper bearings, means oreetuntng said rock shaft,v

(trunks m1 said reak shaft, xdjstn-ble links mterpeeed between sald cranks und hangers,

1 braces connected between the bese and other members. of frame, Wheels .supporting said heme, a rearward extension formed by GEORGE ED\VARD HOVVE. 

